Latch mechanism for cake formers and the like



Aug. 14, 1934. 6:. c. STILWELL LATCH MECHANISM FOR CAKE FORMERS AND THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet I 1934- c. c. STILWELL 1,969,862

LATCH MECHANISM FOR CAKE FORMERS AND THE LIKE Filed April 3. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 14, 1934 UNITED STATES LATCH MECHANISM FOR FORMERS 7 AND THE LIKE Charles C. Stilwell, Piqua, Ohio, assignor to The FrenchjOil Mill Machinery 00., Piqua, Ohio Application April 3, 1933, Serial No; 664,113

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cake formers or machines for compressing oil hearing material into cakes suitablefor introduction into the presses by which the oil is ex- 6 pressed from the material, and more particularly to improvements in latch operating mechanisms for the head blocks of such machines.

In a well known type of machine for this purpose, the cakes are formed by pressing charges 13 permit the travel of the cha boX Over the mold to deposit the charge of meal in the mold, after which the head block is lowered and is held down in its operative pressing position over the mold by a latch. This latch must be res leased to permit the head block to be again swung up to its raised position for the removal of the molded cake and for the introduction of the next charge of meal into the mold. An object of my invention is to provide an im- 36 proved and very simple latch mechanism for the head blocks of such machines which will be durable, eflicient and reliable in operation, and of inexpensive construction. Other objects of the invention are to provide 3?; an automatic latch releasing device which is positively operated to release the head block by the return movement of the ram; also to provide an improved latch releasing device which comprises only a single part in addition to the 41) latch itself; also toprovide a latch releasing device which normally occupiesan operative position and which is rendered inoperative by themovement of the latch to locking position, is returned to operative position for releasing the latch by movement of the mold into" its :cake pressing actiomand releases thelatch upon subsequent movement of the mold; also to pro- .vide a'latch releasing device whichhas the ad- H ditional function of cooperating to move the latch toits' head locking position.

. Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features er the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appeh'ded claims; I

is admitted to and discharged front-the cyl- In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a cake forming machine equipped with a latch releasing mechanism for the head block embodying my invention, and showing the head block raised position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine showing the position of the parts just prior to the movement of the latch to its locking position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, similar viewshowing the position of the parts as the latch is being released.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical section of the machine with the parts in the same position as shown in Fig. 2, taken approximtely on line 4-4 of that figure.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts as the latch assumes its locking position, and prior to the movement of the mold to pressing .position.

Fig. 6 is-a similar View with the head block in locked position and the mold moved upwardly into position forpressin'g the material.

Fig. 7 is a similar View illustrating the release of the latch for the head block.

In Fig. '1', which illustrates a cake forming machine of known construction, 10 represents the cake mold or fo'r'mwhich is supported upon the upper end of, or forms the cap or upper portion of a ram 11 arranged to move-vertically in a stationary cylinder 12.

Fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder for raising the ram and is released therefrom to permit the descent of the ram and mold. Hinged '90 upon a suitable stationary support 14, as by a horizontal pivot 14a, and suitable hinge arms 15, is the head block 16. Thishead block is adapted to be lowered or swung down from the raised.

position shown in Fig. 1 to the operative horit5 z ontal position over the cake mold shown in Figs. 5 and 6, 'in which pos'itionit is secured by the latch mechanism later described. Any suitable mechanism may be used to actu'ate the head block in its upward and downward inove- T00 'rnents, such for example, as a double-acting 'fluidp'ressure mechanism shown inpar t in Fig.

-1. This mechanism includes a cylinder-1'7 stationarily meunted at the rear of the machine, and a pistcn 18 arranged to reciprocate inthe cylinder, and which is 'prdv'ided with an upwardly extending 'piston' rod 19 connected at its upper end as by a link 20 to the rear'of the hinge arms 15 of the head block. Pressure'flui'd no of the vertically movable cake mold 10. 'member 30 is provided with an integral, laterally inder at opposite ends of the piston 18 by suitable valve or control mechanism, not shown. The admission of the fluid to the lower end of the cylinder beneath the piston acts to raise the piston and lower the head block, and the release of the fluid from the lower end of the cylinder and its admission to the upper end of the cylinder above the piston operates to return the head block to its raised position. V

When the head blockhas been lowered to its operative or pressing position and has been 1- locked by the latch -mechanism, pressure fluid.

is admitted to the ram cylinder 12 to raise the ram 11 and mold 10 to compress the material between the mold and the head block. After:

the cake is compressed or molded, the pressure fluid is released from the ram cylinder to per mit the ram and mold to descend by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1, afterfl'w'hichthej piston 18 is actuated to return the head block to its elevated position.

As; thus far described, the cake forming machine ,is of ,well known construction, but the invention is applicable to, other known or suitable constructions adapted to efiect the. raising and lowering of the cake mold and of the'head block in the manner described.

The latch means shown for releasably securing or looking the head block in its operative or pressing position comprises a pivoted latch or hook 21 depending from a hinge rod or pivot :22. supported in lugs 23 on the forward end of the head block 16, and a stationary keeper or catchplate; 24 rigidly secured to the front of the stationary ram cylinder 12. Said keeper is provided inits upper portion with an opening 25 in which the beaker tip 26 of the latch 21 .is engageable, as shown in Fig. 6, for locking the head block in pressin l osition.

My improved latch releasing or actuating de- Vice, as shown in the drawings, comprises a pendent plate or member 30 provided at its upper end with a bearing lug 31 by which it is' supported to swing in a transverse direction upon a horizontal pivot 32 arranged in a forwardly projecting lug or member 33 atthe front side The projecting cam or curved web-like part 34 which extendsfrom the front edge of the member adjacent the pivot 32; downwardly and inwardly across the face of the member 30 and terminates in a lower edge 35. I The cam34 therefore has an inner face 36 and an outer face 37. The member 30 is also provided at the rear thereof with a stop 33 adapted toabut against the face of the keeper 24 to retain the device in operative position. i g

In the construction illustrated, there are two of the latchreleasing devices, one right hand part of the inner face, 36 of the adjacent cam 34.

As the downward movement of thelatch continues, the studs 39 bearing against the faces 36, cause the latch releasing members'30 to swing about the pivots 32, so that as the head block 16 assumes its horizontal operative or pressing position, the beak 26 of the latch enters the opening 25 in the keeper 24 and the latch releasing device will be held by the studs 39 in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 5. In this position of the parts, each stud 39 ,will be disposed adjacent the lower edge 35 of said cam 34. Since the latch releasing members 30 tend to swing inwardly by gravity and since they bear by their cams inwardly against the studs 89 on the latch, this inwardpressure supplements the like. gravity movement of the latch and therefore'aids in moving the latch into holding engagement with the keeper.

The ram 11 is now actuated to move the mold 10 upwardly tolcompress the cake or material in the mold, carrying with it the latch releasing members 30. In this movement the lower edges 35 of the cams34 will move outwardly over the studs 39on the latch and pass out of contact therewith at the upper side thereof, thus permittingthelatch releasing members to be returned by gravity to operative position with the stops 38 in engagement with the frontface ofthe keeper 24, as shown in Fig. 6. Itwill be seen that the studs 39 will now be adjacent the lower ends of the outer sides of the cams 34.

After the pressing operation has been completed, the pressure fluid in the cylinder 12 is relievedjpermitting the ram 11 and mold 10 to descend, and in this movement the latch releasing members 30 are carried downwardly with the mold. The resulting engagement of the outer face of the cams with the studs 39 will urge the lower end of the latch forwardly and disengage the beak 26 thereof from the latch plate 24, since the latch releasing device isheld rigidly in position by the engagement of the stops 38 with the face of the keeper 24, the studs 39 being therefore forced to follow the outer-faces 37of the cams 34, as shown in Fig. 7. Coincident with this procedure, the'pressure has been ad- ,mitted to the upper end of the head block actuating cylinder 17 to return the head block 16 to its elevated position.

While two of the latch releasing devices 30 are "preferably employed to equalize the pressure and strain upon the latch, it will be obvious that the invention could be carried out by the use of a single device at one side of the latch. I

From the foregoing-description it will be seen 'that the latch releasin'g device normally occupies an operative position, is rendered inoperative by the engagement'therewith of the latch in the downward -movement of the latter, is placed in operative position by the upward movement of. the-mold and releases the latch upon subsequent downward movement of said mold.

The device is exceedinglysimple, consisting of only a single, relatively simple and inexpensive casting or member, which can be made rugged and durable, so that the device will not readily get out of order. 1 .I claim:

. 1. The combination with a mad and a block -which' are movable toward and from .each other,

of J a latch. movable into position for locking said blockin pressing relation to said mold'when said block is moved toward-said mold,v and a-latch .1115

releasing device which is moved by said latch lock said block upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block.

2. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch movable into position for locking said block in pressing relation to said mold when said block is moved toward said mold, and a latch releasing device including a cam which is engaged by said latch when said block is moved toward said mold to cam said device to an inoperative position, and which when said mold is moved toward said block to press the material, moves to a position in which said cam will engage and release said latch tounlock said block upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block.

3. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch carried by said block and movable into position for locking said block when the latter is moved toward said mold, and a movable latch releasing cam carried by said mold and which is engaged by said latch when said block is moved towards said mold and moved thereby to an inoperative position, and said cam, upon movement of said mold toward said block for pressing said material, being movable to a position in which it will engage and release said latch to unlock said block upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block.

4. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch carried by said block and which, when said block is moved toward said mold, moves into position for locking said block in pressing relation to said mold, and a latch releasing cam pivotally mounted upon said mold and normally extending in the path of said latch in said looking movement thereof so as to be engaged and moved thereby transversely out of said path, and upon movement of said mold towards said block to press the material, is moved again into a position in the path of movement of said latch, so as to engage and release said latch upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block.

5. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch having a cam engaging part, said latch being movable into position for locking said block in pressing relation to said mold when said block is moved toward said mold, and a movable latch releasing cam positioned at one side of said cam engaging part of said latch when said block is unlocked and which is engaged by said latch part in said locking movement of said latch and moved to a position such that, upon movement of said mold toward said block to press the material, said cam will shift to the opposite side of said latch part so as to be in a position to engage said latch part and release said latch upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block.

6. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch movable into position for locking said block in pressing relation to said mold when said block is moved towards said mold, and a swinging latch releasing device carried by said mold and which normally rests against an abutment in position to engage said latch in the movement of the latter to locking position, means for shifting said device, during said movement of said latch, to a position to enable said latch to assume its locking position, and said device being then movable upon movement of said mold towards said block to press the material, to a position whereby upon subsequent movement of said mold away from said block said device will engage and release said latch to unlock said block.

7. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch on said block movable into position for locking said block in pressing relation to said mold when said block is moved toward said mold, and a movable cam device on said mold which normally occupies a position in which it is engaged by said latch and rendered inoperative upon movement of said block towards said mold,

and said device being moved to a position for releasing said latch upon movement of said mold toward said block.

8. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch carried by said block and movably mounted to engage and disengage a keeper, a cam device movably mounted on said mold and having difierent cam faces for engagement with a part of said latch, one of said cam faces acting when said block moves toward said mold to shift said cam device out of latch releasing position and to assist in engaging said latch with its keeper, and said other cam face acting when said mold is moved away from said block to disengage said latch from its keeper.

9. The combination with a mold and a block which are movable toward and from each other, of a latch carried by said block and movably mounted to engage and disengage a keeper, a cam device movably mounted on said mold and having different cam faces for engagement with a part of said latch, one of said cam faces acting when said block moves toward said mold to shift said cam device out of latch releasing position, said cam device being shifted by movement of said mold toward said block to place said other cam face in operative relation to said latch part, and said last mentioned cam face acting when said mold is moved away from said block to disengage said latch from its keeper.

CHARLES C. STILWELL. 

